Mario, Tetris, and Call of Duty, are just a few great games that are some of the most successful video games franchises of all time. One genre of video games that has been popular for many years is anime games. Over the past few decades there have been many outstanding animes that have been enjoyed by fans, whether it is through video games, TV shows, or graphic novels. Pokemon, also known as ‘Pocket Monsters’ in Japan, has been a popular anime since 1995 when it was created by Satoshi Tajiri. No one knew that the franchise would still be standing over two decades later, but it has become an entertaining game for people of all ages around the world.
In Wikipedia’s current list of best-selling video game franchises, Pokemon is ranked number two behind Mario as it has sold over 362 million copies worldwide. For the Pokemon video game franchise, with around eight generations already, ranking them is not an easy task. Each game has its pros and cons. Here are just five great games in the franchise ranked, that many people have enjoyed over the years.
1. Pokemon Gold & Silver (1999)
Available on Game Boy and Game Boy Colour, Pokemon Gold & Silver was first released in Japan in 1999 and rolled out to other locations around the world over the next couple of years. This series came after Pokemon Red and Blue, which had a lot of praises. Therefore, it was only natural for the creator to have to make it way better for it to be considered as a growing and innovative franchise. Luckily, they did do their best and Silver and Gold became another sensation that global fans appreciated.
This second-generation series had 100 remarkable additions to the pokemon’s library, two new characters, and a good number of new moves. The day and night features brought time challenges that were not there in the previous series. It also came with pokemons that could only be caught during specific times, making it even more fun. Getting to the end allowed a player to open up the Kanto region from the Red and Blue pokemon.
2. Pokemon Red & Blue (1996)
For fans of Pokemon, this game is where the Pokemon sensation properly began. Since its introduction into the market with the original 151 pokemons, the game has never looked back. Kanto world is as magical as it ever was, and the designs are enthralling. When it comes to capturing players’ attention, this series did not disappoint. The graphics were like a charm which still drives players to dig out their old consoles and play it today.
In fact, a lot of Pokemon fans celebrate Red & Blue as the game that got them into liking Pokemon in the first place. Recently, one fan even recreated the iconic Pallet Town in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the location from the original Pokemon games. The Red & Blue series had to be among the best, as it is the reason why so many people looked forward to corresponding releases.
3. Pokemon Go (2016)
Released on iOS and Android in Summer 2016, Pokemon Go was a mobile game that quickly took the world by storm. The free app combined gaming with the real world as players were able to find Pokemon in many different locations. Location tracking and mapping technology helped to create an augmented reality where players could play, train, and catch Pokemon in real locations. Recently, Pokemon Go announced some amazing changes to the game such as improved battle screen design, power up options, and access to nearby raid battles.
Whether players were walking around their hometown or commuting to work, Pokemons were available to find and catch as you went along. The game featured a fun mechanic where Pokemons would appear on screen if they were in range and players could use PokeBalls to capture them. The game became so popular as it was free to download, easy to play, and players could also collect Pokemons from common ones to rare ones. When Pokemon Go was first released, there were fans all over the world that downloaded the app and started playing.
4. Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire (2002)
First released in Japan in 2002, this is the series that changed the colour trajectory of Pokemon games. Though most of the other features remained the same, the sprites popping on the screen made this series unforgettable. It is also the series that came with many different elements and distinctive features that continued to get upgrades with corresponding releases. Ruby and Sapphire allowed players to add new challenges and the battle depths became quite intensive.
However, the Ruby & Sapphire series was built from the Silver & Gold version, which could have been better. The game did receive a lot of positive reviews after its release but critics were also divided on the assessment of the graphics and gameplay. However for fans that still enjoyed playing this game, an updated version was launched, the Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, in 2003.
5. Pokemon X & Y (2013)
Released on the Nintendo 3DS worldwide in October 2013, Pokemon X & Y were the first installments of the sixth generation of the main Pokemon video game series. The 3D features in this series were the thing that made it stand out as it opened up players to a whole different dimension of the Pokemon world. The battlefield felt entirely different, making it have a high animated exploration. While this series might not be considered as enticing as the other games, X & Y received high review scores and sold four million copies in its first week of release.
The Pokemon X & Y series also introduced the new feature of Pokemon-Amie that allowed players to interact with their Pokemon using the Nintendo 3DS touch screen and camera. This helped trainers to bond better with their Pokemon which would ultimately affect their performance in battles. Recently, in October 2019, Pokemon X & Y celebrated another anniversary as Pokemon X & Y celebrates six years of innovation to a beloved series. While the series might not be the best game in the franchise, it led the way for the transition into 3D Pokemon games.
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